


Sniper

by Salty_Libra



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24786541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salty_Libra/pseuds/Salty_Libra
Summary: Family business is dangerous business, especially for outsiders.
Relationships: Arackniss/Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 115





	Sniper

**Author's Note:**

> Things I learned while writing this: The plural of mafioso (a member of the mafia) is mafiosi. The more you know.
> 
> And the winner of the Twitter prompt poll is "Sniper!" This one came out surprisingly quickly - I just got writing and the next thing I know it's 5 A.M. and I'm almost done. I think about half the time writing this was just spent trying to figure out a half-decent ending point....
> 
> A bit different from my usual, but I did specifically try to mix things up a bit. Otherwise, not much else to say so I won't run my mouth...err...fingers. Hope you enjoy!

Niss drummed his fingers against the stock of his signature heavy sniper rifle, anxiously waiting for an update from his operation handler. This particular op was incredibly secretive, for reasons apparently above even Niss' pay grade - which was rather remarkable, given that he was the son of the big man himself. The op was already well under way and he hadn't even been told who he was killing yet. The night was rather cold, for Hell, a fact not helped by the substantial wind chill on the roof Niss had made his sniper perch. Not his first choice for comfort, but for practicality: the view of the adjacent building was second-to-none; line of sight on every window this side of the structure, good lighting, and the roofs of several other buildings were within easy jumping distance for a quick escape.

"Target is entering the building. Eyes up." Niss' earpiece buzzed. His fur stood on end as his assassin's instincts kicked in and he pulled his eye close to the scope of his sniper rifle and taking aim through the window at the entrance of the building, scanning for his target. As he watched the door open, an uncomfortable chill worked its way up his spine, causing his hair to stand on end for a very different reason: The demon entering the building was not a member of the mafia family that controlled this chunk of territory. He was a tall, black-scaled snake, dressed in a clean white tuxedo top, carrying a large briefcase. He was accompanied by an escort, two spiders from the rival family. 

"Big, tall, slithery fella?" Niss asked, masking the dread in his voice. 

"That's right. He's an arms dealer, trades in all sorts of exotic weapons. Weapons not unlike your own toy. Wouldn't want anyone else to get their hands on something so...effective."

"Didn't know we were takin' out a snake." The sniper was suddenly glad he was on an isolated rooftop so his fellow mafiosi couldn't see the discomfort and surprise on his face. His targets had traditionally always been other spiders, members of rival mobs from his Family's days up above. This was something new. 

"What's it matta to you? Just anotha notch on ya rifle. Keep an eye on 'em, I'll let ya know when to shoot." The voice came back over his earpiece. Niss rolled his eyes. Just a weapon to be aimed. 

The assassin reached forward and pulled the bolt on his sniper rifle, loading a round into the firing chamber - a single bullet, tipped with with metal from the spear of an Exterminator; a weapon capable of killing a demon, permanently. He placed the snake directly in his cross hairs, aiming for the head.

"How are we doin' this? Clean and efficient?"

"Nah. The Boss wants this to have flair. Make a statement, ya know? Go for the heart. Give em' something to remember."

Niss was silent. He hated spectacle kills; they were unnecessary, inefficient, all just for shock value. 

The snake and his spider escorts made their way further into the building, passing through to the next window, where they began talking with the other mafiosi. The snake opened up his briefcase to reveal a hefty handgun; Niss lipread something about a "sample of things to come." The mobsters started talking among themselves, discussing the weapon, and soon enough, all eyes were on the snake.

"Now's the perfect time. Drop 'em, if you will."

Niss' finger tapped on and off the trigger, his hand unwilling to fire the gun. Staring down the scope of the rifle, looking at that snake, all he could see was Pen. _His_ Pen. 

"The hell are ya doing? Take the damn shot already."

NIss' thoughts raced at a hundred miles an hour, his body seemingly locked up entirely. His eyes were red. Pen had red eyes, too. They glowed slightly in the dark. His hood wasn't quite as large as Pen's, and he didn't have eye patterns across his body, but he carried himself with the same energy. He remembered seeing a white tuxedo in Pen's closet, similar, maybe even identical to the one this snake was wearing. The way he smiled reminded him of the way Pen smiled when he knew he was right, that damn smug grin. The way he ran his fingers over the weapon as he showed it off made him think of-

"ARACKNISS!"

A rush of panic and adrenaline ripped through Niss' veins and he pulled the trigger. Glass shattered. Gun smoke drifted from the barrel of his rifle. His shoulder ached from the brutal kickback of the heavy armament. A bullet ripped through the snake's heart, splattering red across the wall and floor opposite Niss' position.

The snake didn't immediately realize he was dead. He looked down and horror overtook his face as he saw the red spreading across his white shirt from the hole in his chest where his heart should have been. He managed to look up through the shattered window at his killer, his eyes a mixture of confusion and pain, before he collapsed to the ground, dying his second and final death. Niss shut his eyes to block out the sight. He'd never had to do that before.

"If I didn't know bettah, I'd think you were goin' soft on us." Niss could barely hear the voice over the ringing in his ears. 

"Gun jammed." He responded, barely keeping the emotion out of his voice as he pressed the mic on his earpiece. "Damn thing needs cleaning."

"Yeah. Right. Whatever you say." The voice sighed. "Still, decent enough work, Snipes. Now get outta here before they start shootin' back. And clean that fuckin' gun of yours."

"Copy that." Niss turned off his earpiece and let out a long, slow exhale, torn between relief that he hadn't been called on his bluff, and horror from the sight of the kill. His kill.

He needed a drink. 

\---

Pen swung his heavy wood front door shut and placed his coat on the rack.

"Nissy, I'm home!"

No response. Pen spared a glance at the rack to spot Niss' own hat and coat. The spider was definitely here.

Pen wandered around for a few minutes, poking in to check on likely spots he might find Niss. He checked the bedroom, the sitting room, the dining room, even the workshop; no luck. 

Finally, he made his way from the dining room to the kitchen. He smelled the alcohol before he even rounded the corner to enter the room. Niss was sitting on a bar stool, head in his hands, staring down at the bar, an empty glass and a half-drained bottle of liquor sitting uncapped next to him. The fur around Niss' eyes was damp as though he'd been crying. Pen couldn't remember ever seeing him actually cry before. 

"What's wrong, Nissy?"

"He looked so much-" Niss barely got through four words before he choked up and had to pause a moment to collect himself. "He looked so much like you."

"Who did?"

Niss' eyes wandered over to the corner of the room. Pen followed his gaze and saw Niss' sniper rifle leaning up against the door frame, a quick count revealing there was a fresh notch on the barrel of the rifle. 

Pen made his way around the kitchen bar and leaned down to meet Niss at eye level, placing a hand on the spider's cheek and wiping beneath his eyes with his thumb.

"It's over now. It wasn't me, Niss. I'm still here."

The spider got up from the bar seat and wrapped his arms and legs around the snake, burying his face in his neck, immediately followed by the muffled sound of sniffling. Pen's hand wandered where it always did at times like this, his fingers running through the back fluff of Niss' hair.

"I didn't wanna kill 'em, Pen. He wasn't even part of their stupid fuckin' war." Niss got out through ragged breaths. "I'm just a fuckin' weapon. That's all I am to 'em."

Pen placed Niss back down to look at him face-to-face again.

"You're not just a weapon to me. You're my spider." He paused, trying to think of where else to take the sentence. "You're my little spider, and I love you."

**Author's Note:**

> Twitter for Polls and Updates: https://twitter.com/Salty_Libra


End file.
